Combination jack and brace.



PATENTED OCT. 1,- 1907. J.L.POTTER. COMBINATION JACK AND BRAGE. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 27. 1906.

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UNITED STATES JOSEPH L. POTTER, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

COMBINATION JACK AND BRACE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 1, 1907.

Application filed September 2'7, 1906. Serial No. 336,404.

in construction the essentials of lifting jacks and also braces for general use, especially braces for supporting the wood-work commonly employed in excavations for sewers to prevent the earth at the sides of the excavations or trenches from falling or caving in while the work progresses, and the invention has reference particularly to the head and foot parts or ends of the implements. i

The objects of the invention are to provide a combination jack and brace that will be adapted for uni versal application for lifting loads or for temporarily bracing walls or structures, and particularly adapted for use as an improved sewer-brace; to provide an im plement of the above-mentioned character which may be used readily where the surfaces of the elements, with which the ends of the implement must have con tact, may not be either parallel or exactly opposite one to the other, and to provide a jack or brace with improved adjustable ends.

With the above-mentioned and minor objects in view, the invention consists in a combined jack and brace having novel universally adjustable ends whereby the angles of the faces of the ends may be changed and the ends fixed at will; and the invention consists further in the novel parts and combinations and arrangements of parts, as hereinafter particularly described and claimed.

Referring to the drawings, Figure l is a side view of a combined jack and brace constructed substantially in accordance with the invention and shown as a brace with its ends arranged so as. to engage the stringers of trench timbers when at different levels; Fig. 2, a vertical central sectional view of the implement modified and arranged to be used as a lifting jack with one end or the head thereof adjusted so that its face is at an oblique angle to the plane of the base or face of the opposite end; Fig. 3, a central sectional view of the adjustable part of either one of the ends of the implement; Fig. 4, a central sectional view of the relatively fixed part of one end or head of the implement, said part being adjustable on the jack-screw; Fig. 5, a plan view of the inner side of the adjustable part of the ends; Fig. 6, a plan view of the outer side of either one of the relatively fixed parts of the ends of the implement; Fig. 7, a plan view of the outer side or face of the adjustable parts; and, Fig. 8, a rear plan view of the relatively fixed part of the foot end of the implement.

Similar reference characters in the various figures of part A having re-inforcing hands a and I) attached tothe exterior of the ends thereof; an annular socket B having a central tenon c which is secured in an end of the body part, the socket having a concave inner surface d shaped in conformity to the arc of a circle, from the center of which a boss 6 having a screw-hole f projects; a screw g inserted in the screw-hole f and provided with a head O having a convex annular under surface It shaped in conformity to the arc of a circle; and an annular end part D having an opening extending therethrough at one end of which is a funnel-shaped recess i to receive the boss 6 and afford clearance therefor, and at the other end of which is a recess having a concave surface j to receive the head O of the screw 9, the surface j conforming to the arc of a circle and agreeing in contour with the surface h of the screw-head, said .end D having a straight outer side provided with spurs k, and also having a lug I attached to the edge thereof, the inner side of the part D having a convex or globular surface m conforming to the arc of a circle and fitting into the socket B in contact with the concave surface d thereof, and held adjustably thereto by the screw g, the screw when slack permitting the part D to move as on a ball-and-socket joint and rotatively with respect to the body A, and when tightened the screw will hold the part D securely to the socket B. The implement comprises also a screw E that is movable endwise in the part A, and may be forced outwardly by a nut F thereon that bears against an end of the part A, and has operating handles 11. and 0 for turning the nut; a socket G having a threaded recess or socket p, in which the outer end of the screw E is screwed so that the screw may be moved endwise in the recess, when not prevented by a set-screw H which normally holds the screw E against rotation relatively to the socket G, the latter having a concave surface d, and a boss 5 in which is a bore :20 through which extends a bolt I having a screw-end q inserted in a threaded socket 7" that is formed in the end of the screw E, in the longitudinal axis thereof, the bolt I being provided with a head J havinga convex under surface h, and an end part D, like the part D above described, has an opening at the ends of which are recesses i and j, to receive the boss 6 and the head J, respectively, there being a convex surface m in engagement with the concave surface (1, the parts D and D being interchangeable inasmuch as the surfaces d and d are alike in shape and dimensions. The socket G has a threaded hole y to receive the set-screw H. In some cases the lugs Z may be omitted from the end parts, or two sets of end parts may be supplied, one set without the lugs and the other set provided with them.

In practical use the end parts D and D, or either of them, may be tilted at various angles so that their outer or bearing faces may be inclined to the axis of the body part A, and when the implement is to be used as a sewer-brace it may be hung in the customary manner by means of the lugs l to the stringers in the trenches. The implement will be found quite useful as a jack in inclined positions and also to stand upright, and especially when it may be desired to tilt or to rotatively adjust either the foot part D or the head part.

D, or both. After adjusting the part D it may be held securely in its socket either by turning the bolt I, or by turning the socket on the screw E, as is obvious.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is l. A combined jack and brace comprising a hollow body part provided with a socket having a concavelycurved surface and a boss projecting from the center thereof havinga screw-hole therein, an end part fitting in the socket and having an opening therein at one end of which is a recess to receive the boss and at the opposite end of which is a recess having a curved surface, a screw extending through the opening into the screwhole and having a head provided with a curved under surface, a screw in the body part provided with a head, a not on the screw.

2. A combined jack and brace comprising a hollow body part having a foot, a screw in the body'part and provided with a socket on an end thereof having a concavely curved surface and a boss projecting iron] the center thereof, a screw-bolt in the boss having a head provided with a curved under surface, and an end part having a convexly curved surface fitting into the socket and having a recess to receive the boss and also a reee having a curved surface to receive the head of the screwdiolt, and a nut on the screw.

3. A combined jack and brace comprising a body part having a foot or end part, a screw in the body part, a nut on the screw, :1 socket screwed onto the screw. :1 setscrew in the socket for binding the socket to the. vscrew. a screw'bolt secured to the screw, and an end part in the socket and held adjustably by the screw-bolt.

4. A combined jack and brace comprising a body part having a socket attached thereto, an end part adjustable in the socket, :1 screw holding the end part in the socket. :1 lug attached to the end part, a screw in the body part. a nut on the screw that is in the body part. a socket at tached to the screw, an end part adjustable in the socket that is attached to the screw, :1 scrmv-holt. holding the last mentioned end part in the socket, and a lug attached to the last mentioned end part.

In testimony whereof, I aIIix nrv signature in presence of two witnesses.

Witnesses E. '1. SILVIUSM P. A. IIAYELICK. 

